Happy Birthday Navy Reserve!

FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, MARYLAND, UNITED STATES

03.01.2022

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Samuel Tyson 

All Hands Magazine

March 3, 1915, marked the birth of the United States
Navy Reserve, providing an opportunity for citizens across
the nation to step forward in support of America’s sea
power projection globally. Two years and two weeks later, on
March 17, 1917, the U.S. Navy marked yet another historical
milestone by enlisting a twenty-year-old Philadelphian
yeoman, Loretta Perfectus Walsh: the Navy’s first active-duty
woman in American history.
How appropriate, then, that the celebration of the
U.S. Navy Reserve’s birthday would fall in Women’s History
Month? This article has three women in the Navy Reserve
who discussed what it means to be part of such a storied
and prestigious branch of the United States military.
“The Reserve has allowed me to be a wife and
mother, finish my bachelor’s degree and pursue multiple
opportunities within my church,” said Yeoman 2nd Class
Skyler Gupton, who drills with Navy Reserve Commander,
Naval Surface Forces Atlantic TYCOM Headquarters Unit in
Norfolk, Virginia.
“I’ve had some rough times both on active duty and in
the Reserve,” said Gupton, “I’ve also gained so much from
my time in the Navy. Having a positive outlook, giving your
job 100%, and being kind and courteous to those around you
can make all the difference in having a great career.”
Mineman Master Chief Petty Officer Tracey Hays has
almost thirty years of service under her belt, and she knows
all too well the meaning of providing a service to her nation.
She first enlisted in 1985 and entered the Navy Reserve after
an eleven-year break in service in 2000, currently drilling
out of Navy Operational Support Center (NOSC) Knoxville
in Tennessee.
“I’ve had a pretty long career,” said Hays. “It’s a big part
of my life! There’s a lot of pride in it.”
At the very least, Hays certainly has left her mark in her
field of work; she is the senior enlisted mineman in the entire
U.S. Navy.
“Being such a small rate, all of us master chiefs know
each other,” said Hays. “We’re a nice little family, but some of
the senior chiefs can’t wait for me to retire, and they’ve told
me that!”
At NOSC Indianapolis in Indiana, Master-at-Arms 1st
Class Shannon Brazda spends her time as a weekend warrior
wearing a multitude of professional hats. In addition to being
the unit’s leading petty officer, she is a member of the First
Class Petty Officer Association, volunteers for the Morale,
Welfare and Recreation division, conducts funeral honors
for fallen veterans, and sings during memorial services at
her command.
“I’ve learned a lot of leadership skills,” said Brazda.
“When I came back after being out, it was a whole new Navy.
As a leader you don’t have to know everything; you don’t have
to be an expert in everything. You just need to know where
you need to go for help so that you can help your Sailors
below you.”
Brazda’s goal of becoming a chief petty officer is fueled
by her motivation to continue following her heart as a Sailor.
She has sound advice for women across the country who
might be interested in joining the Reserve: “I always tell
everyone to dig deep and find out what they love to do.
What I try to get people to understand is that you should do
something you enjoy and really love, and not to let anyone
talk you out of what your heart is telling you.”
From the humble beginnings of a trailblazing young
woman over a hundred years ago to the upper echelons
of enlisted service in today’s Navy, servicemembers like
Gupton, Hays, and Brazda have become prime examples
of the opportunities made available to women across the
nation and around the world by the U.S. Navy Reserve. This
March, say ‘thank you’ to the women who serve in your life
and celebrate the U.S. Navy Reserve’s birthday with the
fervor of 107 years of service.

• Date Taken: 03.01.2022
• Date Posted: 12.29.2022 10:03
• Story ID: 436031
• Location: FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, MARYLAND, US